The Job

The Category Marketing Manager is responsible for the development of marketing strategies for key product categories. You will collaborate with merchandising and marketing channel leads to create annual marketing plans, category messaging, brand positioning and consumer activation plans by channel while establishing vendor relationships with key vendor partners to align category marketing plans and campaign timing and messaging. In addition, the Category Marketing Manager will support the Sr. Category Marketing Managers in their efforts to drive sales, transactions, and market share in the Famous for Four categories.

What you’ll do

• Craft the overall marketing strategy for key product categories (for example, Paint, Power, BBQ, Home Preservation).  Collaborate with merchandising and marketing channel leads to create annual marketing plans, category messaging, brand positioning and consumer activation plans by channel.

• Establish vendor relationships with key vendor partners to align category marketing plans, campaign timing and messaging. Secure marketing funding for best brands through consistent vendor contact points and an annual vendor marketing collaboration meeting. 

• Build content strategy for the development of local creative assets for top categories and brands in Ace Marketing Muscle and assist in identifying and building local in-store events.

• Conduct thorough category research to gain consumer insights, competitive and industry analysis, market growth and Ace’s retail sales trends to build a comprehensive marketing strategy to grow Ace’s market share.

• Manage collaboration/alignment for non-‘Famous For’ product/categories; identifying significant opportunities for Ace to win. First line of defense to marketing channels to review requests for resources.

• Collaborate, communicate, and execute ‘Famous For’ in store parties to drive traffic and transactions.

• Assist in proofing creative assets by campaign.

What you will need:

Knowledge, Experience, and Competencies:

• 3+ years marketing or category/product management experience

• Strong analytical and data analysis skills with ability to generate insights that will translate to strategies

• Passion for idea development and cross functional communications

• Executional excellence that showcases attention to detail and adherence to deadlines

• Ability to set and achieve goals and manage multiple projects and priorities

• Excellent communication and presentation skills (oral and written)

• Excellent PC skills (Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, etc.)

• Ability to function as a team player and lead cross functional projects

• Ability to create strong relationships across internal departments and external partners

• Bachelor’s degree in business or marketing, previous experience in brand preferred.

Compensation Details:

$100000 - $128000 Per Year

Why should you join our team?

We live our values - W.E.L.I.G.H.T (Winning, Excellence, Love, Integrity, Gratitude, Humility, and Teamwork). Gratitude. Humility. Love. You don’t often see values like these in most corporate statements, but Ace is different. These things are important to us. They represent our commitment to the company, our employees, to Ace retailers and to the Ace brand.

In addition to providing our employees a great culture, Ace also offers competitive benefits that address life’s necessities and perks, many of which expand and improve year after year, including:

• Incentive opportunities, based on role/grade level (rapid company growth over the past 5 years resulted in incentives being paid out at an average of 122% of your target opportunity!)
• Generous 401(k) retirement savings plan with a fully vested matching contribution the first year in addition to quarterly contributions and annual discretionary contribution (once eligibility requirements have been met). Over the past 5 years, company contributions (matching, quarterly & discretionary) for fully eligible employees have averaged 10.4% of total eligible compensation.
• Comprehensive health coverage (medical, dental, vision and disability – up to 26 weeks short-term disability and long-term disability) & life insurance benefits for you and your dependents
• 21 days of vacation immediately available (prorated in the first year) and up to 6 paid holidays depending on the month of hire
• Your career at Ace is more than just a job. It’s a chance to be part of something meaningful. We help locally-owned businesses thrive and make an impact in their communities – and we support our employees in doing the same by offering an annual Ace Cares Week, 20 hours off work per year to volunteer at an organization of your choice, opportunities to help Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and the Ace Helpful Fund through the Ace Foundation
• Ace invests in every employee we hire, with a key focus on development and coaching. We offer on-site classes, facilitator-led courses, and a generous tuition assistance program, plus a performance management approach that goes beyond the typical annual review
• We know the work environment matters. That’s why Ace holds frequent campus events like Employee Appreciation Week, vendor demos, cookouts, and merchandise sales
• We bring them to you! Services such as mobile spas, auto maintenance, car wash and detailing, dry cleaning, dentists, eye doctors, flu shots, recycling and more!
• Employee discounts on Ace merchandise (including top brands like Weber, Traeger, Yeti, Craftsman, DeWalt and more), travel, fitness, computers and thousands more
• Birth/Adoption bonding paid time off
• Adoption cost reimbursement
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) – access to free visits to therapists and lawyers, guidance on financial matters, elder and childcare, and assistance with tickets to entertainment events
• Identity theft protection

Benefits are provided in compliance with applicable plans and policies.

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We want to hear from you!
When most people think of career opportunities with Ace Hardware, they often think of the helpful cashiers and sales associates at their local store. However, have you also considered the people behind the scenes who select, promote, ship and process the invoices for more than 75,000 products? Maybe you haven't, but we'd like you to. Because together we help our customers take care of their homes. Come find out why a career with the Ace Hardware Corporation is one of America's best kept secrets.

Equal Opportunity Employer
Ace Hardware Corporation is committed to a policy of promoting equal employment opportunities. The company recognizes the importance of diversity and leveraging the skills and talents of all people to the mutual advantage of each individual and the organization. The company is committed to the prevention of employment discrimination related to race, religion, color, sex (including sexual harassment), gender identity, national origin, age, marital status, disability and military or veteran status, sexual orientation or any other action covered by federal or applicable state/local laws.

Disclaimer

The pay range for this position starts as listed in the job posting, but could be higher based on education and experience. Please note, compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each opening. We take into consideration the minimum requirements outlined in the job description, such as an individual’s education, training and experience, the position’s work location, required travel (if any), and external market conditions when determining the final salary for potential new hires.

Be aware that salary estimates published via alternate online job boards may not be a true representation of the actual pay range offered for this position. Please refer to the Ace position description for the accurate starting pay range information and feel free to discuss this with a Talent Acquisition professional if you are chosen to move forward with an interview.

This written “Position Description” is not intended to cover all aspects of the position listed. It is meant to cover the basic/general essential job functions of a particular position. Ace Hardware Corporation reserves the right to change job duties, including essential job functions, according to business necessity.

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.